Coupler device



July 24, 1923.

F. J. REICHMANN I COUPLER DEVICE Filed Jan. 24. 1921 Patented July 24, 1923.

omrao STATES PATENT o ica rum: .7. momma, 01' UBIOAGQiLIJIOIQ.

GO'DPLEB DEVICE 7 Application filed January 24, 1981. Seriallo. 489,448.

To all whom it may concern:

acitizen of the United States, residing at 4801 S. Morgan Street, Chicago, 1n the county of Cook and State of IlllIlOlS, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coupler Devices, of which the following 1s a s ecification.

y invention relates, more particularly, to coupler devices intended for use more especially in connection with wer propelled trackless trailer-vehicles, or coupling them together, and more particularly of the type presenting relative y widely spaced polnts of pivoted support on the'vehicle carrying the coupler device and a single point of engagement with an adjacent vehicle for con 1mg the two vehicles together.

y primary objects are to provide a coupler device which shall be soconstructed that the maximum strength of the metal of which the coupler is made may be utilized, thereby economizing in the cost ofproducing the coupler device and minimizing 1ts weight; and to provide a coupler devlce which will remain in coupled condition even when the vehicles coupled together thereby are moving over uneven surfaces; and other objects as will be manifest from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a coupler device constructed in accordance with my invention, the device being shown as in coupling engagement with a keeper, the couplot-device and keeper being shown as provided on adjacent trailer-vehicles represented diagrammatically in plan section. Figure 2 is a View in slde elevation of the coupler device and keeper of Fig. 1, showing the trailers diagrammaticallv 1n sectlon, the cou ler-device being shown by full lines in coup ed condition and by dotted lines 1n the raised position it assumes when out of coupling position; and Figure 3, a perspective view of the coupler device of the preceding figures.

According to my invention the coupler-device is formed-of a pair of strips 4 of the same length having the front of the same. len th, represented at 5, closely adjacent to eac other and their rear extremities, represented at 6, in relatively widely spaced relation. The forward ends 5 are preferably flatwise opposed, the rear ends 6 parallel and their intermediate portions 7 straight, Be it known that I FRANK J. Rmcnuarm,

but disposed in' divergent condition as shown, the rear ends preferably containing elongated slots 8. The strips 4 are relatively narrow and are so positioned that their longer dimension extends substantially vertically as shown.

The coupler device is also formed of a plate, or head, section 9 which is interposed etweeo the front end sections 5 of the strips 4 and in such condition is rigidly secured to the strips,'as by means of rivets 10 extending through the strips 4 and the section 9. The section9 is formed .with two hookportions 11 and 12 which extend lengthwise of the section 9 and toward each other, the

.hook 11 being longer than the hook 12 and presenting the front convex surface 13 and the rear concave surface 14, the hook 12 presenting a front concave surface 15.

The coupler device in the particular construction shown is adapted to be pivotally supported at its slots 8 on a rod 16 which is supported in cars 17 extending outwardly from, and lengthwise of, the vehicle to which it is to be attached, as for example that diagrammatically represented at 18, the parts being preferably so constructed and arranged as shown that while the coupler device is free, in the full-line position shown in Fig. 2, to rock, without binding or wedging, on the vehicle to which it is attached,

in the travel of the coupled vehicles overrough surfaces and from one plane to another, it maybe rocked to substantially upright position and be held in such position by 1positioning it as shown by dotted lines in ig. 2, wherein the rear end portions of the sections 6 at the surfaces thereof which extend uppermost, when the coupler is in coupling position, about the outer face of the trailer 18, the coupler resting at the forward end walls of its slots 8 upon the pivot rod 16 as shown.

The hook-equipped portion of the device is intended for cooperation with a keeper 19, shown as a flat eye presenting the aperture 20, secured to the end of an adjacent trailer vehicle represented diagrammatically at 21, the eye being horizontal and extendin outwardly from, and lengthwise of, the v icle 21.

In the coupling together of the two vehicles the coupler device is swung on its pivot to a position in which the hook 11 enters the opening from the top thereof andthe coupler assumes-the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the coupler resting at its surface, re resented at 23 and forming the top wall 0 the opening between the two hooks 11 and 12, upon the adjacent portion of the eye 19. Y

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention, the space between the front end of the hook 12 and the opposed rear surface of the hook 11 is of such width as to provide a slightamoun't only of clearance between these parts and the part of the eye 19 which is adjacent thereto, this feature serving to militate against danger of the coupler, in the movement of the vehicles over rough surfaces, jumping out of engagement with the eye. Furthermore the rear concaved surface 14 of the hook 11' and the forward concaved surface 15 of the book 12 also aid in preventing such disengagement. The concaved surface 14 also serves in case the coupler device jumps upwardly to cause the keeper and coupler device, to resume, under pull, the positions shown in. Fig. 2, the surface 14 acting as a camming guide, whereby the point at which draft is communicated to the coupler device from the keeper, is'maintained close to the plane of the strips 4 avoiding undue leverage against the cou ler. The keeper and hook-portions of the evice are so proportioned, as shown, that, whereas the draft upon the coupler is alaways directed against the rear sur ace 14 0f the hook 11, draft in the reverse movement of the vehicles and exerting a pushing action on the vehicle 18, is directed against its hook 12 only, at its front surface 15, which latter being concaved, as stated and shown, operates to prevent accidental disengagement of the coupler from the keeper and maintains engagement of the keeper with the coupler-device close to the plane of the strips 4.

The various features above referred to, it will be noted, permit of the constructing of the keeper with the minimum amount of material while presenting the full degree of strength required to cause the device to remain in its original condition.

Furthermore, by constructing a coupler device in accordance with my invention, the parts thereof may be manufactured, as by punching or stam ing them from flat stock and thereby avoiding castin or forging operetions, which not only in es for economy neeaeaa of manufacture but enables all of the hookdevices to be accurately and uniformly produced.

While l have illustrated and described a particular construction constituting an emodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A coupler device formed at one end with a dependin portion and a portion in the rear of said rst-referred-to portion between whicha recess is presented, said recess opening through the bottom of the coupler device and at which portion the device is adapted to receive a keeper, the opposed surfaces of said portions being generally upwardly divergent and the lower end of one of said portions extending below the lower extremity of the other of said portions and extending across and beyond the vertical plane occupied by the inner surface of the latter.

2. A coupler device formed at one end with a dependin portion and a portion in the rear of said iirst-referred to portion between which a recess is presented, said recess opening through the bottom of the coupler device and at which portion the device is adapted to receive a keeper, the opposed surfaces of said portions being concaved and generally upwardly divergent, and the lower end of one of said portions extending below the lower extremity of the other of said portions and extending across and beyond the vertical plane occupied by the inner concaved surface of the latter.

3. A coupler device formed at one end with a depending, relativel slender, lug having a convexed front sur ace and a concaved rear surfaceand a portion in the rear of said lug between which latter and said lug a recess is presented, said recess opening through the bottom of the coupler device and at which portion the device is adapted to receive a keeper, the surface of said lug being divergent relative to the latter, the lower end of said lug extending below the lower end of said portion and extending across and beyond the vertical plane occupied by the inner surface of said portion. 

